Stratford Middle School

Arlington, Virginia

Expertise

An ambitious expansion and renovation program will renew an existing historic school building into a modern learning environment and high-performance building to accommodate 1,300 students.

The design draws inspiration from the historic school's educational and socially progressive legacy as one of the first public schools in Virginia to fully integrate after the landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. The modernized and expanded school will promote the values of respect and diversity for all cultures. To optimize space utilization, the solution re-centers programs around the “heart of the school” which is located at the crossroads between the existing building and the new instructional elements. The new entry for students links the school to adjacent community resources. The program supports the Professional Learning Community Organization model for instruction and promotes teacher collaboration and interdisciplinary learning.